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The world of boating probably contains more strange and unfamiliar words than almost any other activity. One reason for this is a very long history going back thousands of years, plus the fact that sailing has caused us to travel and come into contact with all the coastal-living cultures in the world.

If you are a landlubber, the moment you step onto a boat you are going to say something wrong. Boats have no front, no back, no walls, no ceilings, no floors, no kitchens, no bedrooms, no beds, no living rooms, indeed no rooms at all, and here’s a surprise – no ropes! Every ‘rope’ has a job and this gives it its name. Rope is just raw material down below, waiting to be given a purpose. Virtually every word is different and many a book has been written on the subject.

Perhaps the time when we can take a moment and look up is closer than we think. Even though there is much evil going on in the world, are we in the First World finally moving towards a point where our lives will not be filled to overflowing with work, but we will be able to have more free time than we ever dreamed of – time to ponder greater questions?READ MORE

Locomotive or engine? They are both shortened versions of the original ‘locomotive engine’, which distinguished them from static steam engines (as found in factories etc). It’s all to do with American versus British English. As a Brit, I prefer ‘engine’.

I love railway trains of all types, but steam still keeps a romance all of its own. I took the video above on a chance visit to the South Devon Railway and had only a small hand-held camcorder at hand, but I did my best. However, much as I love steam, I realised that I didn’t know what all the component parts of an engine were called. So, please click HERE to go to a fine diagram and some basic terminology with explanations. I welcome any comments from steam enthusiasts, especially if you find any errors.